Hwang Dong-hyuk, the evil genius behind Squid Game, is back in the stress arena for Season 2—and he’s letting us know why. Spoiler: it’s a classic mix of artistic vision, financial necessity, and dental trauma.
Let’s rewind to Season 1, where Hwang essentially lived through his own Squid Game… behind the camera. The stress got so intense that he “lost eight or nine teeth.” Yes, you read that right—he went full method and started dropping teeth like a fighter in a championship round, minus the glory. But now, he’s back for Round 2, which has us all wondering: Why?!
In a chat with the BBC, Hwang explained his grand Squid Game comeback. At first, he was firm. “No more!” he declared to himself, probably while looking in the mirror, gap-toothed and clutching a stress ball. But apparently, Netflix’s ka-ching was loud enough to make him reconsider.
“Honestly, I didn’t make much off the first season. So yeah, I’m doing Season 2 to, uh, fill the holes… in my wallet and maybe get some implants,” he joked, adding that he also felt like the story “wasn’t quite done yet.” (The characters are screaming, “But sir, we’re done!!”)
Turns out, Netflix compensated him up front for Season 1. What’s an upfront payment in Hollywood talk? You get one check, and if your show becomes The Biggest Thing on Planet Earth, well, sorry, buddy, you’re still living off the same lunch budget. Netflix, of course, assured the BBC that their compensation is “competitive,” although we’re not sure who they’re competing with here—Big Tech? Tooth Fairy?
And it doesn’t stop there. “The stress I feel now is so much greater,” Hwang admitted, possibly envisioning the dentist’s chair he’ll be in by New Year’s. But hey, at least no more teeth have gone AWOL (yet). He closed the interview with a knowing smile—or what remains of one—predicting that he might have to “pull a few more very soon.”
Squid Game Season 2 is dropping on Netflix December 26, and here’s hoping Hwang’s dentist has blocked out time for him. Because this might be the bloodiest season yet—behind the scenes, at least!